Rivalry offers chance at bragging rights

Saturday, September 06, 2008

MORTONS GAP — For seniors playing in Friday night’s Battle for the Coal Bucket game, it was a last chance to leave a mark on a rivalry that has defined Hopkins County sports since the fall of 1997.

Entering the most recent edition, Madisonville-North Hopkins held a 6-5 series advantage, but both schools have had plenty to brag about during the rivalry’s existence.

“Probably of all the sports these two schools have played, I think it’s been the best rivalry because you have the back and forth with each school winning some and because it’s played early in the season,” Hopkins County Central public address announcer Keith Cartwright said.

Cartwright has seen every one of the gridiron matchups and said both schools have had star players to mark different eras.

Central’s Tony “Twinkie” Williams came to Cartwright’s mind when thinking of the Storm’s greatest players in recent times. Williams is the only football player to be selected first-team all-state in Central history.

“He was just a dominate force on the offensive line,” Cartwright said.

As for North, Cartwright couldn’t think of any player better than former standout Michael Haney. After Haney’s career ended at North, the multi-sport athlete went on to play basketball at Eastern Kentucky University.

When it comes to his most memorable game though, Cartwright said it was easily the first game ever played between the schools.

“The very first game was probably the biggest upset of the series,” he said. “Central was not a good team, a strong team that year. They didn’t have any passing, but somehow held on with strong defense to win it.”

Local resident Lori Vanover has also seen each game in the heated series. Vanover now works as a guidance counselor at North, but taught English at Central when the rivalry began. Vanover also has a son, Andrew, who is a freshman on the Storm football team.

“They both just get really hyped up about it,” Vanover said. “It’s the most important game of the year to them, even more important than the playoffs, I think as far as the way everybody acts. There’s more people here tonight then there will be at any game even if Central makes it to the playoffs.”

Although the series record is fairly even, there have been winning streaks for each school. North has taken the last four games, and Vanover said the students have gotten confident when it comes to play Central because they have not been at the school for a football loss.

One such Maroon player, who has never lost to the Storm, is North senior running back Ryan Robinson.

Robinson’s uncle, Marty Perryman, and father, Joe Robinson, watched from the North sideline Friday in a heated first-half between the schools.

“This is by hype,” Joe said. “It’s really intense.”

Perryman came from Cincinnati to watch his nephew and sported a Maroons’ “Bring it Back” t-shirt.

Although Joe was wearing his son’s No. 23 jersey, he said another running back, Chris Scisney, has also impressed him in his years of watching Maroon football.

“He can really run the ball and once he gets his motor going,” Joe said.

On the central side, senior Travis Watts easily had the biggest fan section.

Watts’ mother, Becky, tried to list each of the family members in attendance.

“My husband, he’s got his one brother, his sister,” she said. “We’ve got both of my sisters, my parents, his grandparents, another brother. I’ve got like 10 or 15 nieces or nephews here and I’ve got two great nieces and one great nephew here. My daughter is here and his older brother is here.”

Some relatives came from as far away as Louisville to Friday’s game, and the family congregated in the high school parking lot before the game to tailgate and take in the atmosphere.

The family has attended every rivalry game, but Becky said this year’s game means the most because Travis is in his final season.

“This year is special, he’s a senior and they want it,” she said. “Everyone wanted a chance to come out and see him.”

Becky said the rivalry between the North and Central players started even before they enter high school.

“Even when these boys were playing at Browning Springs (Middle School), it was Browning Springs and South Middle,” she said. “It has been like that since these kids were 12 and 13 years old.”

No matter the differences at each school, the rivalry unites North and Central in its ability to create a buzz in the community.

“This game, at both schools, it’s just crazy how much impact it has like how much emphasis is put on it,” Vanover said. “It always has, always from the very beginning.”